home buying

June 2020 Market Update

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First and foremost, I trust you are staying safe and making wise decisions when going out in public, so you remain healthy!

So, you may be wondering what was happening in the real estate business during the pandemic while we were on stay at home status. As I mentioned previously, we were deemed essential, so we could still “work” and help people make wise decisions when selling, buying, or leasing properties. And let me tell you, this pandemic did not stop our local real estate market, as houses are selling and selling fast in many cases. The median days on market in Northern Virginia in March were six; in April, it was five, and I am guessing that we will have the same result in May. The average days on market stand at just 28 days.  We still have an extremely low inventory level today, and we have a tremendous number of buyers out in the marketplace resulting in a feeding frenzy in many price points and in most locations throughout Northern Virginia. Today, the number of homes for sale is 40% below this same time last year and is down 51% from two years ago. We currently have less than one month’s supply of homes, which is historically low. The bottom line is – we need more houses to sell to keep up with the demand.

Mortgage interest rates are incredibly low – around 3.25% today. The great rates are one contributing factor to home sales as it is more affordable (on a monthly basis) to own versus renting in many cases. The rental market remains on fire as well as demand is strong for rentals. Additionally, prices are increasing across the region, and buyers want to begin their wealth-building strategy of homeownership. One interesting dynamic that we are seeing is more first-time buyers entering the market and fewer investors/cash transactions.

It is still a great time to both buy and sell if you take the proper precautions. Give me a call me to discuss your situation in more detail, especially now that we are entering Phase 1. The big question to be answered by the next newsletter is… Did more people decide to sell now that we are in Phase 1 or potentially Phase 2? Lastly, if you went into forbearance on your mortgage or other debts or if you are thinking about it, please call me so I can explain the process and ramifications.

Happy Summer!!

April Market Update

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Crazy Weather, Crazy Market…
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The Northern Virginia real estate market has been a lot like our weather in March…hot and cold. We’ve had some markets that have been on fire – Reston as an example; while others have been normal which makes Realtors and sellers feel on edge or think that the market is “cold”. It is extremely important to have the right expectation when selling your house – not every house sells in a day with multiple contracts. Many houses take a couple of months to sell. The current average is 62 days on the market in Northern Virginia. This is below the national average so we still have a great market. Buyers are buying and as result, the supply of existing houses for sale is down to a 1.2 month supply of homes. So, my advice is to be realistic if you are going to be selling your house and if you get a contract quickly, make the most of it, but don’t expect the process to happen fast.

Again, the good news is that sales are up 6% over last year, sales prices are up 2.8%, mortgage interest rates are still phenomenal and the inventory levels are increasing – so we should continue to see a good spring market. Even with inventory levels increasing, we are still 19% below last year’s levels. My belief is this will continue to happen for the next few months – inventory will rise but we will still lag behind previous years because we have strong fundamentals in place for a good housing market.

If rates continue to rise as a result of “Trumpenomics”, buyers will and should consider adjustable rate mortgages. Typically, ARM products like a 7/1 ARM run about ¾ of a point less in interest rates. As an example, 30 year fixed rates are about 4.25% and a 7/1 ARM is about 3.5% – definitely something to consider when buying a house today.

We can discuss your plans in more detail to see if this is a viable option for you. Please let me know if you have any specific questions or concerns as I am here to help!

Happy Spring Break and Easter!

Would you like to learn more? Give me a call at 703-652-5777 or scottmacdonald@remax.net

 

Northern Virginia Real Estate – Optimism and Home Buying are in the air for 2016

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We continue to have great optimism about home sales in 2016 despite the storm of the century just a few short weeks ago.  We are experiencing a mild winter and agents are building momentum into the spring market making this a great time to buy or sell a home. optimistic heart line Interest rates are phenomenal despite the Federal Reserve raising their rates.
Inventory levels are below last year’s level year-to-date and the great news is, sales are up.  We have pent up demand for housing in Northern Virginia which can be seen when visiting open houses on weekends and our listings are getting great activity throughout the week.  Today’s buyers are serious and are taking action on homes that are staged well, in condition and priced right.  In many cases, we are seeing multiple contracts.

In looking back at 2015, through November, sales of both new and existing homes had increased over the previous year.  According to a recent release from the Department of Commerce, new home sales in 2015 came in at 490,000—the best numbers since August of 2015.  We expect these numbers to increase throughout 2016 as well.  Builders have expressed multiple times they are optimistic as well.

Basic information on the economy shows us that unemployment is at a 7-year low, wages are 5% higher than a year ago, and home prices continue – moderately.  Let’s hope this trend continues as we definitely need higher paying jobs in our area.

One area of potential concern today is in the refinance boom of 2005-2007.  During this time, many borrowers took out 10-year mortgages that were interest only and their reset dates are now coming into maturity.  This means their loan balance is now amortized over 20 years for the last 20 years of the loan increasing their monthly payments significantly.  Add to this potential issue is many of the homes used to collateralize these loans have not gotten back to the value of where they were making it difficult to refinance again.  This could result in short sales and foreclosures.  Let’s pay attention to how this plays out.

As you know, if you have any questions or concerns, you can call, text or email me anytime.  We are here to help you.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Scott MacDonald

RE/MAX Gateway